


breathing

by ForYouAndYourDenial



Category: metamoro - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-07-05 19:50:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15870570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForYouAndYourDenial/pseuds/ForYouAndYourDenial
Summary: Ermal was tired, he really was and had been for a long time. why? he didnt really know. All he knew was that something was missing, and what that was? he couldn't really answer either. He just knew that he wanted Everything to stop, to quit hunting him, to stop hurting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys!  
> this is my first story ever on this page, but I hope that you will like it and actually enjoy Reading this story. I know that the summary might sound a bit depressing, but Believe me it will get lighter in future chapters.  
> please enjoy!

Ermal was tired, he really was and had been for a long while. why? he didnt really know. All he knew was that something was missing, and what that was? he couldn't really answer either. He just knew that he wanted Everything to stop, to quit hunting him, to stop hurting.

He didn't know when the last time he had actually slept a full night sleep was, neither did he know when the last time was that he had just been able to stay awake without dozing off every other moment. He just needed Peace.

Yes, Peace. That was exactly what he needed, at least for just a while, If even for just an hour. But, he didn't need a scientist to know that his Deep wishes were indeed impossible, at least for the moment. At least for the summer.

"Ermal, your on in five" the well familiar voice of his manager called from the corridor just outside the room. With a Heavy sigh, he stood up, grabbing the very retro looking sunglasses from the coffee table in front of him to put them on. Normally he wouldn't perform on stage with something to cover his Eyes, but for that day he had no other choice. The bags under his Eyes were worse than ever and to cover it up with makeup were out of question as he thought it would look too unnatural against his naturally pale skin. As he stood up he couldn't help but notice that his body felt heavier than normal, but he had no time to dwell on it, so he put the feeling to the back of his mind as he made his way out of the room, and towards the stage.

As soon as he set his foot on the stage, the band started playing and the Music flowed out from the speakers. "Ciao guys! Hope you're having fun, let's get this thing started!" and just like that the summer festival of 2018 had begun.

As Ermal had sung the last tones of volevo Dirti he thanked the audience with a smile and some finishing words Before going off stage. As soon as he was off he couldn't stop the feeling of uneasiness that hit him like a crash. Even during the performance he had felt slightly Dizzy and had had trouble keeping up to the Music in the background, but now was definitely worse.

He realized that someone had come up to him and started speaking but he couldn't figure out who it was or what they were saying, the figure in front of him was blurred and the Words sounded nothing like actual sentences, it all sounded like mumbles. And Before he knew it his Eyes refused to focus, he could feel them roll back into his head and all of a sudden Everything was pitch black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> here is the new chapter, it's once again a pretty short chapter but I promise that the chapters will be longer in the future (hopefully).  
> I would also like to thank everyone who liked the first chapter and for commenting such nice things, it made me super happy, so thank you!  
> anyway I hope you'll like the new chapter as well!  
> Please enjoy!

"How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three"

"Are you hurting anywhere?"

"No"

"headache?"

"No"

"Do you feel sick beside the fever?"

"No" Ermal sighed, he had already been asked the exact same questions earlier and was steadily growing tired of hearing them.   
Right after the performance, he had passed out. He had to be carried back to the dressing room by Andrea, and according to the doctor, he was running a high fever, which explained why his body had felt so Heavy.

"So what do you Think doctor?" Paolo asked.

The doctor heaved a Heavy sigh, feeling sorry for the singer. "Well to put it short" he said, turning to Ermal so he could speak to him directly "you're worn out, but I'm sure you already knew that"

The doctor's Words might have been a shock to the rest of the men in the room, but not to Ermal. Just like the doctor had said, he already knew and he had known for quite some time. But, what he didn't know was that his condition was so bad. Yes, his Life was very busy at the moment, some nights he didn't even get the opportunity to sleep, but that it had worn him out enough to make him pass out was indeed unexpected.

"the fever is your body's way of saying enough" the doctor said as he pulled out a small notepad from his jacket. "when was the last time you actually finished a whole meal?"

It wasn't a hard question, so why did he have such a hard time to find the answer? "I don't know" the Words sounded even worse than he had imagined when he said them out loud, but he really didn't want to lie. He could tell by the looks on Andrea and Paolo's faces that they weren't too happy with the answer either. He didn't blame them, after all, if the roles had been reversed he wouldn't have been too happy with them either.

The doctor wrote something down in the notepad Before tearing the page out and handed it to Ermal. He accepted the paper and as he read the small Words he realized that it was a list of vitamins.

"I just have to look at you to see that lack nutrition" the old man said, pointing at the list in Ermals hand "take the pills Before every meal, that should be Three times a day and make sure to drink lots of water, your body needs it"

Ermal could do nothing but nod, lately he had totally lacked appetite so he knew that it would be hard to do as the doctor instructed but for the sake of his Health he was ready to do his best.

"And also, I want you to take a break from work and to not focus on anything but yourself. So go on a trip, visit family, or just stay home, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you take a break from Music and your job in general for at least five weeks"

As soon as the demand reached the singer's ears he couldn't help the feeling of protest wielding up inside of him. When he said that he needed Peace he meant for a couple of Days, a week at most, not five weeks or more! He just needed a couple of Days to Breathe and sleep, he didn't want anything else.

"but-" he started but was interrupted by the doc "No but's" he sternly said, simply not leaving any room for arguments "If you actually care for your Health, you'll do as I say".

When the doctor had gone the manager canceled every appointment and every performance for the following 6 weeks, saying that he wanted Ermal to rest as much as possible. Despite the urge to refuse, Ermal decided to just do as he was told. He felt guilty for worrying his friends and therefore decided to be obedient.

Shortly after that, Andrea offered to drive him home. The car ride was quiet, none of them really knowing what to say. As soon as Ermal got home he slumped down on his bed, not even bothering to change clothes or just take off his jacket, he was too tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for Reading! and dont be shy to comment your true thoughts :)  
> see you in the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> thank you for the support of the previous two chapters, I'm happy to get so nice feedback from you guys as well as kudos, so thank you!
> 
> Anyway, this is chapter 3 and I hope you'll enjoy it.

"Yes, I've eaten properly, haven't you already asked me that?"

"well I just want to make sure, You need to take this seriously"

"As if I don't already know that? God, I'm a grown up man, Andrea, I don't need you to check on me every ten minutes"

"well you wouldn't have been in this poor state if you had actually taken care of yourself. I'll come over later and make you dinner"

"don't, Marco's already been here and made me lunch. Seriously, I don't know why you guys Think that you have to Cook for me, I can take care of myself"

"And yet you're worn out. Listen, we're worried about you, do you really have to make this harder than it actually is. Just let us help you at least until you're back on your two feet again. I'll come by around six, so don't go anywhere, see you later."

Ermal put his phone on the small table in front of him with a Heavy sigh. He couldn't even Count all the calls he had received the past 4 Days, someone checked on him at least once an hour. Yes, he was happy that he had friends and family who cared enough about him to worry to this extent, but, fuck, it was easily getting annoying. It had only been four Days since he had passed out, but it already felt like an eternity. He had done his best to eat as much as possible, despite his lack of appetite and also to take the pills the doc had given him, but for some reason, he didn't feel even the slightest better.

For some reason, he felt anxious, restless. No matter how much he tried to just relax, he just couldn't. Maybe it was because of the fact that people kept reminding him of his situation, or maybe it was because he didn't know how to make it stop. However it was, he was too tired of it, he didn't want to be reminded of it.

Ermal stood up from the table, he wanted a bath, not only because the bathroom was the only Place where no one could disturb but also the thought of letting the water wash everything away, the stress, the thoughts, the pain. The thought was indeed naive and childish, he knew that, but for some stupid reason, he found the idea rather comforting. It's pretty funny how such a ridiculous thought could be the savior of his day.

By the time he reached the bathroom he had already discarded all of his clothes, a messy floor was the last thing he cared about at the moment. As he was already naked he didn't care to wait for the tub to fill up, he decided to occupy the tub immediately. He winced as his bare back met the Cold material of the tub, but he didn't feel the need to pull away and wait for it to be heated up by the water. As the water kept flowing out through the tap, he leaned his head back, closing his Eyes. His Eyes felt tired, he just needed to Close them for a while... Just a short while...

XXXXXX

"Ermal"

"Fuck, Ermal Wake up!"

Ermal was shaken awake. As he opened his Eyes he was met by Andrea's worried gaze. Why did he look so scared, yet relieved?

"Thank god" he breathed, pulling Ermal into a hug. Just holding him like that, as if being scared of letting go. The wild breathing soon turned into sobs... Why was he Crying, what had happened? Ermal looked down only to realize that he was on his bathroom floor, naked. The singer felt confused, It wasn't until he saw the tub he remembered that he had wanted to take a bath... And that he had fallen asleep... Despite being in a bone-crushing hug, he managed to turn his head and realized that he was lying in a puddle of water, no not a puddle, the entire floor was covered by water. Had he fallen asleep while the tap was still running?

"Andrea" He pressed out, his voice sounding weaker than he had expected. He could feel the other man shift slightly, but still not letting go of him. The sobbing had calmed down, but he could feel the other man still shaking...but Why?

"Why the fuck did you do that!"

Ermal was shocked by the question, he felt completely lost, what was it that he had possibly done to make the other man react like this? He had done nothing but accidentally falling asleep while... Taking a bath... Oh...he All of a felt a need to explain himself, it wasn't what it looked like.

"No, I-"

"How the hell could you!" Andrea pulled back from the embrace so that he could look the thinner man in the Eyes. As Ermal finally got to see his friends face he couldn't help but feel like he had been stabbed in the heart a thousand times. Andrea's tear-stained face didn't only show sorrow, but also anger. Ermal didn't like the look one bit, he knew that he was the reason for it but he hadn't meant to. He never meant to make his friend look this shaken, so broken.

"Andrea, I didn't mean to" he said, pulling the man in for Another hug, wanting to Comfort him so badly. He felt really bad for having scared his friend once again, although this time, it was just a stupid mistake. Naked or not, embarrassment be damned! He just felt the need to Comfort him. Andrea responded to the hug by wrapping his arms around the singer's slim waist, burying his face in the pit of his neck. Feeling Andrea's breath against the pale skin of his neck, Ermal Lifted his hand to gently draw comforting circles over the other man's back. "I'm sorry for scaring you, I didn't mean to, I just fell asleep. I would never do anything as stupid on purpose" he whispered, feeling the other mans breathing calming down. Ermal felt more at ease as the sobbing and shaking stopped altogether. After all, it was just a mistake, he would never even Dream of committing suicide.

Andrea once again pulled back from the hug, grabbing him by the biceps, looking him straight in the Eyes "We gonna make sure that you'll get better, I promise" he said. For some reason, the feeling in his gut told him that things just weren't right. "We gonna get you professional help and then you'll be fine" the Words were enough for Ermal to realize. He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, just feeling that he had to make sure that his suspicions were right.

"you don't Believe me?" the Words came out shakier than he had expected, but for the moment he just couldn't bring himself to care. Andrea didn't reply, he just stared right back at him, but the look on his face revealed Everything.

"Andrea, you can't be serious" Ermal breathed out as the reality hit him like a wave "You know I wouldn't do something like this on purpose, You know me!" he tried, but the look in the other mans Eyes didn't change, there was no use in trying to convince him anything else, he wouldn't Believe it.

All of a sudden the air felt too thick to Breathe, he felt as if the mare aura in the room choked him. The panic deepened as he heard the following Words coming from his friend's mouth.

"It's alright, there's special treatment for cases like yours. You'll be fine within a couple of weeks"

what Andrea said after that wasn't registered in the singer's mind, he could hear him clearly but he simply couldn't grab them. All he could Think about was that one sentence "It's alright, there are special treatments for cases like yours", It was echoing in his head. The sentence hadn't been meant to hurt, quite on the contrary, yet they felt like a betrayal. It hurt to know that Andrea didn't know him well enough to know that he would never do anything like this on purpose, he was supposed to be one of his closest friends...

Ermal couldn't bring himself to say anything, he simply couldn't find the right Words, the shock was too great to even explain. As if his body moved on his own, he stood up from the wet floor without even realizing. Andrea looked at him with a questioning look, yet he didn't say anything.

With fast steps Ermal left the bathroom, he needed to get out of there, he just had to get away from Everything. It wasn't until he reached his bedroom that he realized that the water had leaked all the way out to the hallway, however, he didn't give it a second thought. As soon as he entered the bedroom he pulled out a random choice of clothes from the closet and put them on. He didn't waste any time in grabbing a coat either, he just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Heading back out to the hallway he met Andrea's worried gaze once again. The man no longer in the bathroom, but standing right outside the bedroom door, looking rather confused. "where are you going?" he asked, voice steady and demanding, yet Ermal couldn't find it in him to actually answer the question. Despite understanding why his friend was worried, he was still disappointed, no, angry about the fact that he didn't believe him.

Without saying a Word, Ermal passed him, grabbing the car keys from the drawer next to the door and rushed out of the apartment. He had to get away from Everything. It had only been four Days, and he was already tired of people taking care of him as if he was made of glass. He didn't want people to pity him, the only thing he wanted was people to treat him like a normal person and to get that, he had to get away from Milan. He had to go somewhere where no one knew about his condition and he knew exactly where we would go, to whom he would go, the man he hadn't seen for a while, the man he missed more than he could explain. Just the thought of him made his heart warm.

A few minutes later, he was in the car, starting the motor, backing out and heading towards Rome.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Here's the fourth chapter, I hope you'll like it :)  
> Please enjoy!

Ermal sat in the now parked car, just staring at the fast food restaurant in front of him. He didn't know how long he had been staring, neither did he know how long he had been sitting there. It had taken him Close to six hours to drive from Milan to Rome and it wasn't until he had reached Rome that he had realized that it had gotten dark. It was in the middle of the night, 1:46 to be exact. Despite the fact that he wanted to meet his friend as soon as possible, He simply couldn't bring himself to actually walk up to the mans house and Wake him up, and possibly the kids. He did not have the heart to do that. So the conclusion he had set his mind on was to wait until morning Before driving there. It was going to be a tough night as it was getting colder and he wasn't wearing anything but ripped jeans and a T-shirt. The only thing he could do, although he knew it would be in vain, was to pathetically hug himself. If only he had grabbed a jacket or at least his wallet so that he could've taken in on a hotel for the night, but no, he had been stupid enough to not bring anything to keep him warm or Money.

Ermal let out a tired sigh, he had no other choice but to sit in the car until morning, just wait for the sun to rise. No matter how much he had tried to fall asleep, his body simply wouldn't let him, the Cold were too much for his body to actually be able to relax. After many failed attempts to fall asleep, he could do nothing but feel doomed for the night. He had nothing to do, he was Cold and he was tired, how much more would he have to suffer for one night?

The sound of a vibration pulled him out of his moment of self-pity. He looked around to see if he could find the vibrating device, hoping to the love of God that he wasn't just imagining things. And for the first time in the past 24 hours, he felt lucky as he found the vibrating smartphone in the glove compartment. He took out the phone only to realize that it wasn't his private phone, it was his work phone. Yes, it might sound ridiculous to have two separate phones, but Ermal liked to know that he had the option of separating his private Life from his career as a musician.

He looked at the screen, seeing Marco's name light up the display. This reminded him about the earlier commotion in his apartment. Regret filled his mind as he realized how much his friends must worry about him. Andrea had probably called Marco after realizing that he hadn't returned after so many hours. Damn, Ermal felt really bad about it. But no matter how much he wanted to answer the call and assure them that he was fine, he couldn't bring himself to click the green Icon. He just couldn't. Answering the call meant that he had to talk to them, and at the moment he didn't want that. Yes, he was still disappointed with Andrea for even thinking that he would want to end his Life on purpose, but at the moment that wasn't the main issue to why he rejected the call. To answer the call would mean that he would have to tell them where he was and then be forced to drive back home again, and Ermal refused to do so.

He loved his friends to Death, but was it too much to ask them to leave him be, at least for just a short while? All he wanted at the moment was for someone to treat him normally, and the only person he could come to Think of was the man who lived Close to six hours away from him.

The rest of the night passed by painfully slow, but as the Bright sun finally occupied its Place on the azure clad sky Ermal finally decided to start the motors. It was still early, about 6:10 in the morning, but Ermal didn't have the patience to wait any longer. He wanted to see the other man as soon as possible.

Twenty minutes later Ermal parked the car on the driveway outside the house owned by the man he had come to visit. Before stepping out of the car he took a few minutes to just Breathe, all of a sudden he felt slightly nervous, anxious even, why? He didn't really know. He Always felt slightly nervous Before meeting the man, but never had it been this bad. It was frightening how he felt like his nerves threatened to eat him alive... Maybe was it because of the fact that they hadn't seen each other for quite some time, or maybe was it because he came unannounced? However the reason was, he decided to put it to the back of his mind, to just ignore the persistent feeling. With one last Deep breath, he opened the car door and stepped out.

Ringing the doorbell, he couldn't help the shivers running through his body as he started to doubt his actions. Maybe he shouldn't have come, maybe it would have been better if he had at least talked to Fabrizio first Before forcing his way into his house? The "maybes" and "what if's" would probably have kept hunting him while he stood there on Fabrizio's porch if the door hadn't opened right there and then. To his relief Fabrizio wasn't the one who stuck out his perfect head, Instead it was the dearest Little girl he knew.

"Ermal" the Little one squealed as she finally realized who the unexpected visitor was, her favorite victim in braid practicing!

Ermal couldn't stop the smile that formed on his lips as he heard the excited voice say his name. He let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as he reached down to lift the girl into his arms. She didn't hesitate to wrap her short arms around his neck as she cuddled her face against his cheek.

"ciao sweetie, I've missed you" he whispered against her slightly messy hair, receiving an "I've missed you too" from the Little girl who refused to let go of the man's neck as if being scared of him leaving if she did. She truly was happy, even though she rarely met Ermal nowadays she still loved him more than most of her father's friends. Ermal was Always gentle and kind, he never refused to play with her and she liked the constant soft tone in his voice when he spoke to her and her brother.

Ermal realized that the girl was dressed in only her nightgown and decided to enter the house as neither he or the girl was dressed well enough to Breathe the chilly morning air. As soon as he closed the door behind them Anita untangled her arms from his neck so that she could look him in the Eyes while she fired the million of questions she had piling up in her head. Ermal tried to answer the questions the best he could but didn't have the answer to the most of them. He put her down so that he could take off his shoes and while doing so he got the question he maybe should have thought of Before arriving. "Why didn't papa tell us you were coming?" Anita pouted. The answer was easy, Fabrizio didn't know his unexpected visit either, but the reason to that was definitely harder to answer. If he were to tell the truth, the reason for him to have come all the way from Milan would be spoiled. If Fabrizio would find out about his condition, Ermal would not only get scolded but he would once again be pitied and treated like some poor dying plant, just the mere thought of it was unbearable. So he said the first thing that came to his mind, sounding rather stupid as the Words left his lips. "your papa doesn't know about it, I wanted to surprise you"

god, he truly felt ridiculous, but oh well it was too late to take it back. However, the statement didn't disappoint the cheery girl in front of him. The smile on Anita's face only grew wider. She looked even more excited than earlier as she asked "So I'm the only one who knows?"

Ermal nodded and the confirmation made the little girl giggle as she quickly figured out a plan. "So let's surprise papa!"

Before Ermal even had the chance to say anything or ask her what she meant by it. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along towards her playroom. "papa and Libero haven't woken up yet" she whispered as she pushed the door to the unexpectedly blue room open. Ermal didn't know many Girls in Anita's age who liked pink better but still decided on blue as she had said 'now Libero will play in here with me too', Ermal smiled at the memory from the very first time he had set his foot in this house and she had said that while eagerly showing him around. He was soon pulled out of the memory as Anita once again dragged him forward.

The playroom was pretty, just like any other playroom it was filled with toys and recently made drawings and Ermal couldn't stop himself from smiling as he noticed the framed drawing hanging on the wall. It was actually the drawing he had made her when she once had asked him if he could make her a self-portrait. Apparently, Fabrizio had failed the mission as he weren't really good at drawing, so to make a sad Anita happy he had told her that he would talk to Ermal end see if he could draw one instead, which had gotten the girl to force her dad to make the call the very next minute. Ermal had immediately agreed to draw the portray as he knew that it would make the girl happy.

Once again he was pulled out of his trace of thoughts as he was pushed into the pink Little castle structured tent, damn was it surprising that he actually managed to fit into the small Children adapted tent. However, maybe playing wasn't the first thing to do on the list. first, he had to make his visit known to the owner of the house, her father, then he could play with Anita.

"Anita, I'll play with you later, alright? But for now, I have to go and greet your father" he said, as he tried to crawl out the tent but was immediately stopped by Anita who put her hands on his shoulders to prevent him from going any further.

"but you wanted to surprise papa" she almost looked as if she was going to cry, her Brown Eyes looking even bigger than usual. Ermal knew that he couldn't refuse her if she looked at him liked that, so with a defeated sigh he had no other choice but to sit back down in the tent once again. Anita's smile returned as he did so. Ermal cursed himself for being so weak to Anita's sad face cause now he had no other choice but to do as he was told. And hell, did he already feel anxious. This was definitely not the way to normally visit someone, least to say, someone he hadn't talked to for a while, rather he'd just wait in the kitchen for Fabrizio to Wake up, instead of hiding in his daughter's playroom.

Anita put her index finger in front her lips, telling him to stay quiet Before she rushed out of the room, leaving Ermal sitting there, with nothing else to do but sit there and wait for her to come back.

Shit, he really didn't like this. He already felt embarrassed for turning up on their doorstep without Calling. So playing hide and seek in the man's house made the whole situation even worse. Why had he so stubbornly decided to knock on their door so early in the morning? He knew very well that Fabrizio liked to sleep longer during the weekends, so why couldn't he just have waited for a couple of-.

A scream made itself known in the house, making Ermal flinch as he recognized it as Anita's. The panic immediately awoke inside him and by reflex, he decided to get out of the tent and look for the girl, what if she was hurt, what if she had fallen down the stairs? Only to realize that he couldn't. Was he stuck? Yes, he was. It sure had been easy to fit into the cramped tent, but damn was it hard to get out. For some reason, his sitting position made it harder for him to get out. The fact that he had his knees up to his chest made it even harder for him wiggle his way out. Shit, what would he do if Anita had hurt herself, he would never be able to forgive himself if she ha-.

The door was once again pushed open and to Ermal's relief it was Anita with the still exciting smile on her face. Okay, now Ermal was confused. If she was so happy, why had she screamed like that?

"Anita what happened are you alright?" he asked still feeling rather nervous even though she looked perfectly fine. Anita, however, responded with a "hush" Before she once again let out a very high pitched scream. And this time she got the response she wanted.

Someone was running down the hall, looking for the girl who had let out such horrifying screams and Ermal didn't have to see who it was to already know it was. The steps sounded way to Heavy to belong to Libero.

And god, was he right. The next second a very panic looking -only clad in his boxer briefs- Fabrizio.

Meeting the gaze of the other man Ermal said the only thing he could say in this kind of awkward situation.

"Surprise?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for Reading, I really hope you liked it! don't be shy to leave your thoughts in the comments :) See you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!  
> It feels like its been forever (it haven't though, just nearly two weeks)  
> Here's the new chapter, I'm not really satisfied but I hope you guys will like it anyway <3  
> Please enjoy!

"Surprise?"

If only Ermal could crawl down a hole and hide there for the rest of his Life, he would. He might exaggerate, but for the moment he couldn't Think of anything else. Boy, was he embarrassed! There he sat, as an uninvited guest in one of his best friend's daughters pink play tent saying a pathetic "surprise" as if that would save him. Ermal felt like he could literally die of embarrassment.

Forcing himself to look at Fabrizio he to his surprise were met with a wide grin. Could it be that Fabrizio was actually glad to see him, despite the circumstances?

Anita jumped out from behind the tent where she had hidden, noticeably giggling the entire time. "See Papa, Ermal is here! Are you surprised?" She ran over to her dad, wrapping her arms around his waist, looking more than proud over her oh-so-excellent plan.

Fabrizio bent down to plant a kiss on her tanned forehead, looking lovingly at his youngest Child, Before straightening up again. Again eying the obviously oversized, embarrassed looking man in the pink princess tent. Fabrizio just couldn't hold his smile back, despite sitting in a rather awkward position, Ermal looked just as Beautiful as usual. Yes, Beautiful, Fabrizio had no problem to appreciate Beauty when he saw it whether the person in question was a man or a woman. As for the man in his daughters play tent, Fabrizio often caught himself googling him only to see that pretty face of his. The man was his best friend and they were way past the stage of being shy to admit each other's good looks. However, the look on Ermal's face told him he felt rather uneasy and slightly embarrassed as if he was afraid of not being welcome. The mere thought of it were laughable to Fabrizio, no matter what Ermal would Always be welcome to his house. Always.

Fabrizio walked over to the to the man on the floor.

For every step Fabrizio came closer the more panic did Ermal feel, just hoping that he remained calm on the outside. Being helped out of the tent by Fabrizio who managed to hold the pink fabric back enough for Ermal to finally crawl out, Ermal couldn't help but wonder what the man had on his mind, especially since he had yet to actually say anything. Fabrizio pulled him up from the floor by his arms and Before Ermal even got the chance to actually say anything, he was pulled into a hug.

The anxiousness, the stress, the insecurity, all the shameful feelings disappeared in that very moment. Just five minutes earlier, Ermal had wanted to just disappear, letting his insecurities get the best of him, but now all of those pent-up thoughts, all of that shame, seemed to have flown out the window as he with no hesitant wrapped his arms around Fabrizio's torso, burying his face in Fabrizio's neck. It's pretty funny how one man could wipe all the pain, all his fears away in less than five minutes when he hadn't even been able to help himself breathe. The embrace lasted longer than usual as they hadn't seen each other for quite some time, but as Fabrizio, to Ermal's dismay, decided to pull back. Ermal finally got a good look at him, His hair even Messier than usual, and his Eyes looking rather tired as he had so abruptly been forced to Wake up so early in the morning, but that smile on his face seemed everlasting. Ermal finally felt like a Heavyweight had been lifted off his shoulders. And for the second time that morning Ermal smiled, not a forced smile, not a fake smile, just a pure genuine smile.

"Papa, Didn't you hear my question?" Anita once again made her presence know by tugging at her father's hand.

Fabrizio struggled for a moment to remember the question but miserably failed. Ermal noticed this and couldn't help but tease him "Yeah Papa, didn't you hear the question, or were you to busy flexing your muscles in front of me to hear it" Ermal chuckled, pointing out the fact that Fabrizio was wearing nothing but boxer briefs. Fabrizio however, felt no embarrassment, he knew damn well that his body was very fit and well sculptured for being a man in his early 40s and he also knew that Ermal in truth envy him for it as he so many times had told him so.

Knowing he was being teased -even though it didn't bite on him- he simply couldn't help but laugh, the teasing, the sarcasm, hell, even those annoying smart ass comments Ermal often uttered, Everything about this man were more than welcome. He had missed him incredibly. Ruffling Ermals hair in a playful way Before pulling the man in for Another, but this time shorter, hug

Anita soon forgot her question and left the room, decided she wanted to Watch a Movie. Fabrizio grabbed Ermals hand, leading him out to the kitchen where they both took a seat at the table. The first few minutes were quiet, none of them saying anything, they just sat there, staring at each other. Ermal knew Fabrizio had at least as many questions as Anita, and once again he cursed himself for not having planned this better, or at least come up with an explanation to why he had time off from work, but sadly it was too late now and he would have to improvise. Just praying that Fabrizio wouldn't ask too many questions, Ermal decided to break the silence.

"so... Happy to see me?"

"You know I am" Fabrizio stated. The smile hadn't left his face even once since he had noticed their guest. He was truly happy to have his friend there. Lately, they hadn't had time to see each other and hardly even speak on the phone either. They both had been busy and therefore this Little stunt made Fabrizio even happier.

"So how long are you staying?"

Ermal truly didn't know what would be the best to say, the fact that he in truth wanted to stay for as long as possible seemed quite selfish, but saying that he would just stay for a couple of Days meant that he would have to go back to Milan. His inner battle didn't seem to settle, so Ermal decided that he could tell Fabrizio small details of the truth mixed with White lies and then discuss together with the other man how long he could stay.

Letting out a quiet sigh Ermal shifted his gaze to his lap, not wanting to look Fabrizio straight in the Eyes while lying to him.

"Actually I got five weeks off"

Fabrizio looked at him confused, he knew damn well that Ermal had Concerts and a tour on his Schedule for the summer, so the fact that he had five weeks off were really odd and very much confusing. Despite not looking at Fabrizio, Ermal could tell, judging by the silence that the other man had many questions.

"I canceled Everything on my Schedule for the following five weeks, I haven't had a vacation for a really long time and I know that its selfish of me towards the fans, but I really wanted some time off, Bizio" Ermal hoped that his voice hadn't sounded as weak as he felt, just hoping Fabrizio would not question him any further or by any means judge him. Daring himself to look at the tattooed man Ermal was relieved to find a gentle smile on the man's lips, helping Ermal to relax just a little bit.

"Then how about staying here for the rest of your vacation?" The question didn't come off as forced, Ermal could tell by the look in the other's Eyes that he truly was welcome to stay.

Ermal couldn't stop the small smile from spreading on his lips "Could I really?"

"Of course I still have to work, but it would be really nice to have you around when I get home and during the Days I'm off." Fabrizio smiled Before continuing "But don't feel forced to stay here, I mean, I understand if you had other plans in mind for your vacation"

the Words made Ermal's heart warm, just the knowledge of Fabrizio wanting to have him around gave him a very good reason to put the memories of his past few Days on the shelf and just for once stop worrying."then, I'd love to stay"

The smile on Fabrizio's lips grew even wider as he stood up, stretching his arms above his head. Tattooed, tanned skin flexing as he did so. Seeing the still half-naked body of his best friend flex was to Ermal nothing new, but for some reason, he couldn't help but look away to hide the blush that had so shamelessly decided to paint his usually pale cheeks. Why did he all of a sudden feel shy about seeing this? Ermal had seen the other man in his boxers, stretching many times Before and it had never caused a reaction like this, so why now?

The older man, however, was oblivious to the sudden shyness of his best friend and therefore felt no hesitation to pull the other man up by the arms and yet again wrap his arms around the thinner man.

"I'm gonna get dressed, then we'll get your bags from the car" He mumbled against the dark curls.

For anyone on a vacation, this would not have been an issue, bags would be a matter of course. But for Ermal it certainly was an issue. He had not even thought about the fact that he had nothing but the clothes on his body to wear during his stay in Milan. What could he possibly say to cover this up? Before being able to stop himself Ermal said the first thing that popped up in his mind, and god, did he feel stupid. "I didn't bring any"

that short sentence, just those four Words, were enough for Fabrizio to lift an eyebrow and pull out of the hug to instead hold the other man at an arm's length distance.

Fabrizio didn't need to ask with Words, Ermal knew that he had to explain himself. Sighing he said the only thing he could Think of "I forgot them. I didn't realize it until I got here so the bags are still standing in my hallway"

The Words were more likely unbelievable. Fabrizio knew that Ermal wasn't one to forget important stuff like that, but since it was obviously a lie, a pretty damn bad lie, and Ermal had still decided to go along with it Fabrizio couldn't help not wanting to push his friend about the issue. They were friends yes, and yes, Fabrizio did wish that Ermal would tell him about all of his problems, which he usually did, so Fabrizio figured that Ermal would probably tell him when he felt ready, but until then he would stand back and wait for it.

Fabrizio let go of the younger man's shoulders, nodding as a sign that he would go along with the excuse.

Ermal watched the other man walk towards his bedroom, feeling yet again like a Heavy stone had been lifted off his shoulders.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I know, It's been a month and I'm so sorry for updating so late, but lately, I haven't felt very good.  
> Before you start Reading I have to warn you that there might be multiple mistakes in the text, I'll fix them when I got more time, I promise :)  
> I hope you'll like the new chapter, please enjoy!

Being alone in the kitchen as Fabrizio went to freshen up for the day, Ermal decided he might as well prepare breakfast for them. Opening the fridge, he then took out the ingredients to make croque monsieur, he knew that Fabrizio had liked Them when he had made them at his own Place.

When he had hatched the eggs to dop the bread in, Libero Entered the kitchen. Still looking half asleep he didn't seem to registered who it was that stood at their kitchen Island, making them breakfast.

"morning" He mumbled, lying his head on the table, closing his Eyes.

The sight was Adorable, Ermal couldn't help but chuckle. Trashing the eggshells, he walked over to the kitchen table, kneeling down right next to the oh-so-tired boy. Still oblivious to Ermal's presence the boy just turned his head when Ermal gently reached out and touched his dark hair.

"Papa, not now. 'm too tired" He mumbled, Ermal smiled.

"So when do I get my welcome hug?"

The sound of Ermal's voice Jolted the boy fully awake within less than a second. With a confused look in his Eyes, the boy just sat there, staring at him with a gaping mouth. once again Ermal couldn't stiffen the chuckle that erupted from his body. With a smile, he held his arms wide open for the boy to invade, and so he did. Ermal kissed the boys temple, thinking how lucky he was to have this family in his Life, even though he gets to see them very rarely lately. Moments like these where those he treasured most preciously so that he could Think back to them when the World felt like nothing but a wicked Place, created and ruled by barbarians. If only moments like this could last a Lifetime instead of becoming just a memory of something that used to be, or something that could have been...

The embrace ended and Ermal went back to preparing the breakfast. Libero now having found a reason to not act like a half-dead fish, offered to set the table. putting the soon to be croque monsieurs in the oven, he decided he might as well prepare the coffee while he was at it.

"Libero, where do you keep the coffee filters?" He asked while opening one of the cupboards to try his luck, but to no avail though. Libero placed the Nutella on the table and pointed at the cupboard next to the one Ermal had checked. Ermal opened it only to realize that the filters were lying on the top shelf. Despite being tall Ermal simply couldn't reach them, not even when he stood on his tiptoes was he tall enough. Why would Fabrizio even put the filters that high? The man was even a few centimeters shorter than him.

As if being able to read Ermal's mind, Libero said "when we had them on a lower shelf Anita Always managed to reach them by standing on chairs and used them as paper hats for her dolls"

The mere thought of the Little girl stealing her dad's paper filters to dress her dolls was just too adorable. If only Ermal had been here to witness it... Every time Ermal thought of how many good moments he missed in this family, he could immediately feel this sadness welling up in him, not only did he live in a entire different city, but he also had no right to claim moments like those, as he had no part in this family to begin with. He had many friends who had their own families but never had he had these kinds of thoughts when it came them. These feelings only existed when he thought of Fabrizio and his Children, and why that was? would probably remain a mystery.

Forcing himself to put the slightly depressing thoughts to the back of his mind, he once again turned to the top shelf possessing the coffee filters. "so how do you take them down, do you stand on chairs?"

Libero nodded as he explained "yes, but sometimes Papa lifts me, so I can reach them for him"

"Yes, papa is really strong!"

Ermal turned towards the kitchen entrance, where a now fully dressed Fabrizio and an exciting looking Anita stood.

Ermal smiled down at the Little girl who had just spoken

"he is?" he asked, making sure to sound surprised as he could notice on the way Anitas Eyes practically screamed excitement, that she wanted to tell him more.

"Yes! Papa can lift Libero like Rafiki lifts Simba in the lion king" she smiles proudly and held up the kitten plushy she had in her hands, over her head, to demonstrate "like this. And sometimes he carries us both at the same time!"

"both at the same time? Wow he must be really strong then"

Out of the corner of his Eye, Ermal could see the amused smirk on Fabrizio's lips.

"He is! Papa can lift anyone" the statement was of course exaggerated, not true at all, not to anyone, only to the Little girl who saw her father as an undefeatable hero, and that thought alone had Ermal's heart melting. the love these Children had for their father was something he, himself had never felt towards the man he called father... but for some reason, this did not sadden him. quite on the contrary, seeing the Mobrici family interact so lovingly with each other, reminded him that he had also had a loving family, just not a loving father and that had not been that much of a loss when he had grown up, his mother had managed to give him all the love he and his siblings needed and for that, he would never want to change it for anything in the World.

"He can show you" the happy voice of the Little one, once again pulled him out of his trace of thoughts. the girl now pulling on her father's hand as a way to tell her father to show his strength. Fabrizio looked down at his daughter and decided, despite his embarrassment to not let her down. Showing off had never been his cup of tea, but when it came to his daughter's begging face, he could do nothing but oblige.

Ermal could tell right away, that the request was definitely out of Fabrizio's Comfort zone, it had been very rarely Ermal had witnessed the man show off, but that still didn't prevent the man to grant his daughters wish.

"Hey, Libero, come he-"

He didn't get the chance to finish the sentence Before Anita cut him off.

"No, Papa, not Libero"

"Oh, you want me to carry you?" holding out his arms for Anita to come closer only resulted in the opposite effect, she backed further away.

"No" She giggled, and just something about the glint in her Eyes gave Ermal a clue of what the girl in truth was aiming at... No that couldn't be, that would be weird... right?

Fabrizio looked at his daughter cluelessly, not really seeing where she was going with this, could it possibly be that she wanted him to carry both her and Libero at the same time as she had so excitedly bragged about it to Ermal? Before he even had the chance to ask about it, Anita spoke again, and this time she revealed the meaning of her request, which by far was much more different than he had expected. 

"Carry him" was all she said as she oh-so-innocently pointed at Ermal who by now looked extremely embarrassed as he tried to laugh the request, that now sounded more like a demand, off as if it had just been a silly Little joke. Ermal was not one who easily got embarrassed, Fabrizio knew this as he had only had the pleasure of witnessing this just once and that had been when he had talked about the "why is Ermal so sweaty" comment during a Tv interview a while back. So the reaction was definitely unexpected. Normally Ermal was the one to tease and try to make him embarrassed, so for some reason, this reaction awoke a slight curiosity inside Fabrizio. Why was it that something as Little as this had his best friend act like a shy schoolboy? To Fabrizio's surprise, he found himself wanting to see more of this reaction, this absolutely unfamiliar side of this man he thought he knew from the inside and out.

So without a second thought, Fabrizio did what he definitely thought would bring out more of this strange way of behavior from his best friend. 

Ermal had noticed the teasing smirk on the other man's lips as he walked closer to him, but he had definitely not thought that Fabrí would actually go through with the request. But damn had he been wrong.

Ermal did his best to suppress the blush he knew brutally painted his cheeks as he felt Fabrizio's sculpted arms wrap around his thighs from behind "Bizio, don'-" he tried, but it was too late. He could no longer feel the floor beneath his feet and he all of a sudden felt the urge to hold on to something. His ass was practically pressed against Fabrizio's shoulder so the best thing he could do to compose some balance was to, in an awkward angle, try to get a grip of the man's other shoulder.

The children's laughter filled the kitchen, Anita even clapped her hands in delight "See, he's super strong" she said between laughter, clutching her stomach as if she never seen anything more hilarious than this.

"yes, I see. can you put me down now?" directing the question to the man with the devilish smirk. He was happy to know that the Children found so much satisfaction in this, but hell was it embarrassing. here he was, a 37-year-old man, carried by Another man, his best friend on top of that, like some cotton filled plushy. Was it wrong of him to feel like he all of a sudden had become a small boy again as if this man had taken away his adulthood with a small ridiculous gesture like this and that indeed was too overwhelming for his poor heart to take without beating extra fast.

"Sure, but you might as well take down the coffee filters while we're at it" he said with a grin, feeling way too satisfied with Ermal's reaction and felt like he had to torment him just a few seconds longer.

With a hard grip of Fabrí's shoulder, Ermal Reached out to the shelf where the coffee filters rested, took one and then handed it to Libero who already stood with his arm outstretched to accept it.

"Done, so put me down"

Feeling the urge to tease him one last time Fabrizio said "not until you say it"

"Say what?" his voice filled with confusion

"That I'm strong" He did his best to not burst out laughing at this Point "Come on say it, or I won't let you down"

By now Ermal felt both embarrassed and tortured enough to say or practically do anything to escape the situation, so with a defeated sigh he did as he was told "you're strong"

"I Think you could've said it with a tad bit more enthusiasm, but I guess I'll let it slide just this once"

Finally feeling a fast ground under his feet again, Ermal staggered as far away from the other man he could as he did not want to make eye contact at the moment. Fabrizio however finally let out the laughter he had so generously held in, he simply couldn't hold it in any longer and he did notice how Ermal had hurried to make distance between them as well as avoiding to look at him, he was too embarrassed to do so at the moment, but Fabrizio simply couldn't care, this had felt like sweet, SWEET revenge. Revenge for all the times he had made fun of him and it felt great, but at the same time, he also knew that Ermal didn't take this personally and would also get over the embarrassment within a couple of minutes.

"Stronzo" Ermal then managed to mumble, aiming the insult at the man who was still laughing like a madman, but felt the sour feelings disappear when those tattooed arms once again wrapped around him, but this time around his torso. Fabrizio hugged him from behind, still struggling to calm his laughter and Ermal couldn't help but lean into him as he all of a sudden felt an urge to feel his closeness. Most people would probably Think of it as weird, but Fabrizio had this kind of Power over him that made his nerves relax and his mind forget about the things that weight him down and for that he would be forever grateful.

"I'm sorry, that's enough teasing for today" He chuckled as he planted a kiss in the mop of curls on Ermal's head "come on, let's eat. It smells delicious"

The heat behind him disappeared and he took a Deep breath Before turning on the coffee machine and joined the others at the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for Reading! I'll do my best to update sooner. Comments aren't needed, but they sure are appreciated! See you soon <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm sorry for letting you guys wait so long for a new chapter, I've just had so much these past month that I've simply just been too tired to actually publish it... sorry<3 I'll try to get better :)
> 
> please enjoy this new chapter and I hope you'll like it
> 
> P.S: sorry if there is any Spelling or grammar errors in this chapter, I'll check them later ;*

The day passed by rather fast, most of the day was spent looking after the Children while Fabrizio ran some errands. After coming back from a Close-by playground, Ermal Immediately cooked dinner, making sure that it would be enough for Fabrizio to eat when he got home.

The Children had been cheerful and sweet, they had even offered to help Clean the kitchen. With their help, the cleaning was done quickly and Ermal could start a Movie for them to Watch while he himself could go out to the backyard to smoke a cigarette.

the hours passed and he had a really good time playing with the Children. Fabrizio had called a while back and told him that he would be home late because of a meeting and had asked if he wanted him to call Giada to pick up the kids or at least help to look out for them, but Ermal had told him that nothing of that sort was needed. looking out for the kids were the least he could do, plus, he had a hell of a good time spending time with them. Before putting the kids to bed they had spent an hour Reading a goodnight-story in the living room since the two siblings simply couldn't agree on who's room they would be Reading in, so the living room had ended up being a nice compromise.

as he had hugged both Children goodnight and tugged them in, he went to the guest room, thinking it would be nice to get some sleep as well. pulling away the bed cover, he occupied the bed, closed his Eyes and slowly let the sleep wash over him. 

Panting, Ermal sat up in bed. He was sweating as he struggled to regain his breath and for some reason, he couldn't even remember what it was that had jolted him awake so brutally, all he knew was that he felt extreme guilt. what for? He didn't really know. He just felt this Heavy feeling in his gut and he knew that he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep by now.

Leaning against his headboard, he pulled the duvet closer around him, he just needed that closeness, something to feel comforting, even though he knew that it was just naive thinking. Lately, this had happened more often than ever, going to bed feeling rather okay, only to be jolted awake by a feeling he couldn't even identify and for some reason that scared him. Yes, he was scared, and he really wished that someone could tell him why, but once again he knew that it was just naive thinking.

The worst about these moments was the knowledge of him being alone, all by himself and no one to lean back on to find support. When he was a kid and had had a nightmare, he remembers tiptoeing to his mother's bedroom and without saying a Word or waking her up, he just slipped down beneath the covers and laid there next to her, just to feel some Comfort. while growing up he had thought that his mother never knew about those incidents, he Always Went back to his own bed Before she woke up. But one night, when he was 15, she was still awake when he walked into her bedroom. As soon as he had seen her dark Eyes staring back at him, he hadn't dared to walk into the room any further, afraid of her asking him why. But she never did. Instead, she had smiled at him, one of those warm, comforting smiles that only mothers can give. and she patted the empty side of her bed as if she had been expecting him. That night, while laying next to his mother, he cried. Once again he didn't know why. but he knew that he for once felt relief.

After that night neither he or his mother ever spoke about it again, and for that, Ermal would forever be grateful. He didn't need her presence to actually feel it. He knew that he had her Comfort no matter what and he loved her even more for it. That night had been the last time he ever Went to her room during his worst moments. He knew that he no longer needed it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After a while, he decided to have a smoke. If he had been in his own apartment it would have been enough to just open the window and smoke right next to it. But this wasn't his house, this was Fabrizio's house and he has Children, smoky environments are not good for children.

so he left the guestroom, planning to sit outside on the porch, but as he passed Fabrizio's bedroom he couldn't avoid the fact that the lights were on inside. Fabrizio had probably gotten home while he was asleep and had yet to go to bed what it seemed. Normally he would just pass by without any second thought, but not tonight.

Tonight, he opened the bedroom door, not even bothering to knock, despite knowing that it was a rather respectless thing to do.

Fabrizio was lying in bed, watching Tv, the duvet not doing much to cover him up. As soon as he laid Eyes on the younger man, he sat up in bed, looking rather shocked at his appearance.

"Ermal, is Everything alright? I thought you were sleeping"

No. Everything wasn't alright, that was for sure, but still, he wouldn't be able to put Words on it, so why even bother to try to explain it?

So he did the only thing he could Think of.

He smiled. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. When did you get back?"

At this Fabrizio didn't look completely convinced, but whatever it was that he really thought, he decided to not push the matter.

"about two hours ago, thank you for the food by the way, it was delicious"

"I'm glad you liked it" Ermal smiled, as he took the initiative to walk further into the room. And he felt no hesitation Before he crept down into Fabrizio's bed and pulled the covers all the way up to his chin. They had many times sat in bed together during late nights, especially during Eurovision but for some reason, he couldn't help but feel that this was slightly more intimate. However, he pushed that thought to the back of his mind as soon as he felt Fabrizio's hand ruffling his hair. 

"Couldn't sleep huh?" 

"yeah" Ermal sighed. It was partly true, he knew that he wouldn't be able to fall asleep, at least for a couple of hours after waking up all shaken like that, so there was no need to tell him the rest of the truth. "Aren't you tired?" he then asked, as he realized that it was past 2 am and Fabrizio was still awake.

"sometimes a few jawns aren't enough to make someone fall asleep you know" Fabrizio said as he ironically enough jawned, trying to cover it behind a tattooed hand.

Ermal smiled "are you sure you're not forcing yourself, old man?" teasing Fabrizio was way to fun. Fabrizio Always tried to show ignorance towards it, but most of the time failed. his reactions were just hilarious and yet again, Ermal didn't get disappointed.

"I got better stamina than a horse, want me to show you?"

"pffft..."

"..."

And that's when Ermal no longer could restrain his laughter, he had even pressed one of Fabrizio's pillows towards his mouth in a week attempt to prevent it. He simply just burst out laughing as he uttered unhearable Words in between "bett... horse... god you're killing me!"

Fabrizio did the first thing that came to his embarrassed mind. He pulled Ermal to his chest to get a secure hold of him as he pressed his hand over Ermal's laughing mouth. After a while, Ermal managed to calm down and Fabrizio felt secure enough to uncover his friend's mouth again.

For a moment they just laid there, Ermal draped over his best friends naked chest while trying to refill his lungs with air and Fabrizio just staring at him. Ermal's Eyes where slightly watery from all the laughing, his curly hair completely untamed and a sweet smile still gracing his thin, yet slightly pouty lips. At that moment Fabrizio caught himself thinking that he had never seen anyone quite as Beautiful as the man on top of him. and for some reason, that thought didn't scare him, on the contrary to say the least.

Ermal had Always been Beautiful, but he had never really paid attention to it, so now realizing just how much of a Beauty his best friend was could be considered weird to others. But Fabrizio couldn't care less, just looking at the other made him feel rather warm inside.

"you're aware that you pretty much sounded like a pervert right?" Ermal then pulled him out of his trace of thoughts. "what you said was really misleading, just so unbelievably priceless" he chuckled as he rested his chin against Fabrizio's ribcage, not seeming the slightest intimidated by the position. Fabrizio took the opportunity to touch those dark curly locks of hair as a low, husky laugh escaped his lips, thinking back to it, he could see what the younger man meant.

Ermal smiled as he leaned into the hand caressing his hair.

"well next time I will just shut you up myself" Fabrizio smirked, loving how the other man's hair felt against his skin.

"as if you could" Ermal once again chuckled "what are you planning to do, kiss me?" the humor in his voice sounded teasing but at the same time challenging. Fabrizio knew that Ermal wasn't really expecting a kiss, this was just one of his sarcastic comments he often threw in peoples faces to prove his Point. This Little trick Always worked, witch Fabrizio had to admit was really impressive. People Always ended up sighing in defeat as Ermal Always managed to quiet people down with his realistic sarcasm. But for some reason Fabrizio couldn't help but play with the thought of actually using Ermal's sarcasm against him... would it be too much to try it out?

With a smirk, he wrapped his arms around the thinner man's waist and easily flipped them over so that he was on top of the other instead. The look in Ermal's Eyes revealed that he was shocked, the action had been completely unexpected and he had no idea of why his best friend was now hovering over him, literally lying between his legs.

Wanting to question the position, he opened his mouth to ask but halted himself as Fabrizio grabbed his arms and forced them above his head, holding them down in a secured grip. Meeting the Eyes of the man on top of him, he couldn't figure out what the sudden, very unexpected feeling in his gut meant... was it butterflies? But why would it be butterflies? he had no reason to feel all giddy all of a sudden, especially not from his best friend that was obviously teasing him. Ermal tried to wriggle himself loose from the hard grip, but Fabrizio didn't budge, instead, he just flashed a cocky smirk and pressed down on the man beneath him even more. The action caused friction against Ermals nether regions witch to his horror caused an unwanted moan escape his lips. Before he even had the chance to recover from the embarrassment that had escaped him, Fabrizio continued his merciless teasing.

 

Inch by inch, Fabrizio closed the distance between them and for each inch, Ermal felt like his heart would jump out of his chest. Just why was it that Ermal felt so nervous all of a sudden? as if he almost yearned for it... no that couldn't be it, anyone would feel like this during a situation like this, he was just chocked... right?

The blush on his cheeks deepened as the breath of his best friend ghosted over his face and the lips of the other man were just a few (very few) centimeters away from his own. in no time he could almost feel the other mans lips. A shaky breath escaped him as he mentally prepared for what was coming. Just a Little bit more...

He opened his Eyes that he hadn't even noticed that he had closed as Fabrizio let go of his hands, letting his body weight down on Ermal as it was now his turn to burst out laughing. The older man's entire body shook violently as the room were once again were filled with laughter, thinking that Ermal's reaction had once again that day been priceless. for once Ermal had looked completely Clueless, no witty comebacks and just completely speechless. It was just too hilarious! for the second time had he, Fabrizio Moro managed to embarrass Ermal Meta.

Ermal did not find it just as amusing though and turned a deaf ear to Fabrizio's incoherent rambling "Shit you should have seen your- oh god!- just priceless-"

Ermal managed to push the other man off and did his best to hold the most stoic face he could muster, was it necessary? Hell yes! He Ermal Meta was so embarrassed that he thought he could die, this had been even worse than the morning incident, the only thing he was grateful for was that this time, there hadn't been an audience to witness it.

Ermal looked at his friend and wanted nothing more than to just wipe that smile right off his face. Just how come that Fabrizio had won him not just once but twice on the same day?! normally, he was the one to embarrass Fabrizio, not the other way around. Doing the best he could to ignore the laughing man, Ermal turned his back against him, refusing to show just how much the embarrassment actually affected him.

Soon the laughter died down and Ermal could feel the shifting of the bed as Fabrizio moved closer to him. Tattoed arms soon wrapped around him and pulled him closer to the body behind him "sorry, I'm done teasing you for the next 12 months" Fabrizio chuckled, voice still filled with amusement.

Despite the urge to just keep pouting Ermal couldn't help but betray himself and accept the other man's apology. Ermal had never been a dramatic person and he didn't plan on becoming one either, so after pouting for a moment or two, he normally let it slip between his fingers in order to get on with life and Fabrizio knew that. "you better make it 24" he chuckled as he himself couldn't help but find the amusement in the situation. He would be lying if he said that he wouldn't pull the same cheap trick on Fabrizio if he'd ever gotten up with the idea.

"fine"

after that they ended up watching a random Tv-show in a language they didn't even understand, could it possibly have been Swedish? They ended up guessing what the people on the screen was saying witched caused them both to fall into a fit of laughter.

sooner or later the show ended (to Ermal's dismay) and the curly haired singer decided that it was now a good time for him to once again try to get some sleep and therefore stood up from the bed. Before he even managed to take one step Fabrizio halted him by saying "you could sleep here you know, it's not a big deal for me"

the invitation had sounded genuine and for some reason, Ermal couldn't find it in him to refuse, or rather, he didn't want to refuse, he wanted to stay and the reason for that would remain a mystery, at least for the night as Ermal for the second time that night got under his best friends bedcovers, yearning to finally get some rest.

Fabrizio turned off the Tv and the nightstand lamp.

That night, while lying next to Fabrizio, he cried. Once again he didn't know why. but he knew that he for once felt relief.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for Reading! dont be shy for leaving your true thoughts in the comments. See you next time!


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